A site engineer in Asaba, capital city of Delta state, Mr. Ngozi Uchebuego has accused doctors and nurses of the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Asaba, of killing his wife, Mrs. Rita Uchebuego barely twenty-four hours after delivering twin girls.
Mr. Uchebuego, disclosed that their marriage is barely nine months old and his wife has not enjoyed the marriage before the life of his beloved wife was cut short due to what he called negligence and carelessness on the part of the doctors and nurses at the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Asaba, where she was allegedly abandoned by medical personnel after the delivery.
Mr. Uchebuego, who is already accusing the hospital management of trying to sweep the case under the carpet, is crying to the general public and relevant authorities for justice over the manner and circumstances that led to the death of his wife who only got wedded on the 11th June, 2016.
Chronicling what happened on that fateful day, to a team of HardReporters, Mr. Uchebuego who still maintained that his wife was killed, said March 6, this year when his pregnant wife went for anti natal at FMC, Asaba, the doctor who she was assigned to who earlier confirmed her Expected Date of Delivery (EDD) as 19th March, 2017 discovered her blood pressure (BP) was a little above normal, and was admitted so she could be monitored till the next day.
“After paying a deposit of ten thousand naira, my wife was admitted at the O and G ward in the hospital and on Tuesday 7th of March, I asked my mother in-law to go and join my wife as I left to site very early. When I came back around 12noon, I rushed to the hospital to check on my wife, I met my wife passing through severe pains and was shouting, I asked her what the problem was, and she said she was induced.
“I didn’t know what it means to be induced because this is our first pregnancy, but the agony my wife was going through was beyond normal so I requested to see the doctor all effort was futile. I was very angry, why will they do this to my wife I asked, I was told they were admitting her for BP. Nurses were complaining that I was disturbing the ward, they also said my wife will soon deliver.
“I left for some errand and when I came back in the evening, my wife couldn’t stand up again from the hospital bed, the pains has increased, I insisted I was going to talk with her. When she came out, she told me they induced her the second time. The first induction failed and one doctor, Mr. Ojenuwa instructed she should be induced the second time. I was mad. I looked for the doctor but he was nowhere to be found.
“All these were done without my consent; I waited till 10pm if I could see the doctor but he never showed up. The next day Wednesday 8th of March, my mother in-law called me to come immediately for my wife have been booked for emergency Cesarean Section, and that the doctor is requesting for an astral pint of blood, I quickly made calls to the laboratory department who helped made the blood available before I arrived the hospital.
“When I got there, my wife had already been prepared and place on top of a wheel bed. They asked me to sign; I read and signed, prayed for my wife. For more than 30 minute, the nurses kept jesting and my wife was still in that pain, shouting on top of the wheel bed. I was worried, then I ask why the delay? No answer.
“I kept asking them until a doctor by name, Dr. Longway, who is working under the supervision of a consultant named Dr. Maduakor who happens to be our private family doctor, familiar with the history of my wife’s pregnancy because from day one we have been visiting his private hospital.
“I was happy on discovery that it was the same family doctor, Dr. Maduakor is the consultant to supervise the operation of his wife and immediately he put call across to him to urge him to come quickly that “My wife is the person they were calling him for but he never came. After 20 minutes, I called him the second time, he never came.
“Though finally, Dr. Longway conducted the operation and it was very successful, I donated two pants of blood as we were instructed during anti natal orientations. On Thursday, March, 9, I received an urgent call from my wife from the hospital at about 4.52am to assist her and on arrival, I saw that my wife was left alone as the wicked Nigeria doctors and nurses were all sitting carelessly watching my wife struggling with the oxygen that was fixed on her and calling for help because of her new babies.
“Her mother was restricted from entering the ward according to FMC Asaba tradition. What is happening? I shouted, one useless nurse shouted back, are you not the husband? Go and pay for blood. My wife was shouting, heartbeat please come and help me with the oxygen she was trying to push it to her nose. I was in the middle of different decision, please put blood, I pleaded, but they refuse that I should go and pay and bring receipt first.
“I Quickly rushed to pay and only to come and meet my wife lifeless body. This is after she has delivered a twin; two beautiful girls the previous day. This is my present predicament. My wife did not die, my wife was killed by some wicked and heartless humans who claim to be doctors and nurses at the O and G ward of FMC Asaba after I have paid for everything that was needed.”, Mr. Uchebuego disclosed.
According to Mr. Uchebuego, his joy of fatherhood began to sink when saw how the whole thing was been carelessly handled disclosing that after the surgery, his wife needed a little medical attention and support, just like every other woman in her condition, but everything already paid were denied her by the “wicked Nigeria doctors and nurses at FMC Asaba.”
“The doctors on duty said they were waiting for instructions from the senior consultant, Dr. Maduakor after they have informed him of the situation. The senior consultant who happens to be my family doctor became angry because we didn’t go to his private hospital for delivery hence he refused to come and help the situation and this was how the junior doctors and nurses watched my wife till she passed on.
“With information at my disposal is telling me that the management was already trying to sweep the matter under the carpet, since March, 6, my wife was killed I have not heard from the hospital even after my written complaints sent to the hospital.” he narrated.
In a swift reaction, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Asaba, Dr. Victor Osiatuma who gave the hospital’s own side of the story said its true that Mrs. Rita Uchebuego, was delivered of twin babe girls in the hospital but debunked the allegation of Mr. Uchebuego that his wife was killed.
According to Dr. Osiatuma, a panel of inquiry has since been set up and the deceased husband and the doctors and nurses and staff who were in charge of the deceased delivery have been invited adding that the deceased was delivered through Cesarean Section and the babies and mother were in perfect condition but the mother was short of blood and unfortunately she reacted negatively to the blood administered on her which led to the unfortunate incident.
“We set up a panel of inquiry into the matter and everyone concerned was invited and the husband of the deceased is been carried along in everything we are doing concerning the unfortunate incident. It will be so unfair on the part of the husband to begin to accuse us that his wife was killed. This is an hospital where people are treated to live not to be killed.
“In any case, the panel has since submitted its report and has been forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Health to look into it and anyone found culpable will be brought to book according to the civil service rules and regulations, so nobody is sweeping anything under the carpet.” the CMD stated.
